德克萨斯州里士满——NRG Energy首席执行官 Mauricio Gutierrez 表示，作为该公司位于休斯敦西南部的西澳教区发电站 Petra Nova 项目的一部分，NRG Energy每 17 秒就会捕获一吨 CO _{2 。}

该项目本质上是利用各种技术来回收一种化石燃料副产品“O ₂ ”，以生产另一种碳氢化合物“石油”。

NRG 和其他公司现在认为世界上最大的碳捕集工厂捕获的CO _{2通过 129 公里（80 英里）长的管道输送到 Hilcorp Energy。}Hilcorp在德克萨斯州杰克逊县的 West Ranch 油田使用 CO _{2进行 EOR。}

这个耗资 10 亿美元的项目于 2010 年获得美国能源部批准，拨款高达 1.9 亿美元，并于 2016 年底开始运营。4 月 13 日，地方、州和联邦官员共同祝贺 NRG 和项目合作伙伴 JX Nippon Oil & Gas日本探索和休斯顿 Hilcorp。

美国能源部长里克·佩里将该项目描述为创新的展示，展示了如何同时解决环境问题和化石燃料需求。

“当今世界面临的许多挑战的解决方案都在我身后展示，”这位前德克萨斯州州长以高耸的碳捕获设施为背景对人群说道。通过与全球联盟、大学和私营部门合作，“没有我们不能面对和克服的挑战。” “这是美国和日本创新合作的惊人展示。”

佩里称该项目是“清洁技术投资如何促进传统能源发展的绝佳范例”。这表明我们不必将环境放在一边，而将经济放在另一边。”

Petra Nova 是 NRG 和 JX Nippon 按 50:50 比例组建的合资企业，负责改造现有燃煤电厂。三菱重工和关西电力公司共同开发的技术对该项目至关重要。

德克萨斯州州长格雷格·阿博特赞扬了参与该项目的人员，并表示该项目有助于通过技术解决有关天然气和石油的环境问题。

“科学家们抱怨温室气体是能源生产的副产品，但现在德克萨斯州的创新已经解决了这一问题，”阿博特说。“CO ₂正在被捕获并投入使用，这是德克萨斯州最擅长的事情，那就是从石油中生产更多的能源。通过与全球最优秀、最聪明的人才合作，我们可以为存在的任何挑战提供创新的解决方案。”

怎么运行的

来自发电厂的烟气通过烟气骤冷器并在称为 KS-1 的溶剂捕获 CO ₂之前进行冷却。该化学物质有一个适合CO ₂的插槽，使两者能够结合。然后在再生器中将CO ₂从溶剂中汽提并压缩。

NRG 通讯总监 David Knox 在媒体参观期间解释说，NRG 8 号机组约 40% 的烟气正在被转移到碳捕获系统中。这个数量相当于一座240兆瓦的发电厂。在CO ₂进入输往油田的管道之前，大部分硫已被去除。他说，在 1900 psi 的压力下，压力足以将整个 80 英里的管道输送到油田。

在 EOR 过程中，CO ₂与石油混合，但“不会发生化学变化”。改变的物理性质使石油更加光滑，使石油能够更轻松地移动到地面。CO ₂自然冒泡，然后被重新捕获、加压并注入回油田。“每当 CO ₂绕这些轨道之一运行时，大约有 20% 的 CO ₂停留在该场中。”

项目实施前，油田产量一直在下降。

现在，“West Ranch 油田正在焕发新的生机，”Hilcorp Energy 首席执行官杰夫·希尔德布兰德 (Jeff Hildebrand) 在仪式上表示。“该项目将使该油田的产量从每天约 300 桶增加到几十年来未见的水平。”

截至目前，该项目已向油田输送超过30万吨CO _{2 。}预计十年后峰值产量将达到约 15,000 桶/天。

JX Nippon首席执行官Shunsaku Miyake补充说，CO ₂注入工作进展顺利。

“这个项目不仅使我们能够减少燃煤电厂的温室气体排放，同时还能大幅提高石油产量。”

经济学

古铁雷斯说，佩特拉诺瓦是美国第一个此类商业设施。

“我们按时、按预算完成了任务，没有成本超支，没有延误，”他说。

该项目预计每年捕获超过 160 万吨 CO ₂，​​他说这相当于减少道路上的 35 万辆汽车。

环境效益显而易见，但经济效益呢？这部分取决于石油价格。

诺克斯表示，“只能通过石油收入来支付这笔费用”，并补充说 NRG 拥有该油田约 50% 的股份。

大约三年前该项目破土动工时，石油价格约为每桶 100 美元。“这会赚大钱，”诺克斯在巡演期间说道。

随后，能源行业发现自己陷入了最严重的衰退之一，供应过剩超过了需求。

” 破土动工后，油价跌至每桶 30 美元左右。老实说，这是在水下。它赚不到足够的钱来支付自己的费用。”

但不断上涨的油价给了该项目一线生机。

“以 50 美元的油价，它赚到的钱足以支付自己的费用——支付运营费用和偿债费用，”他说。“所以它在经济上是可行的，但它并没有为投资回报赚很多钱。“如果油价上涨，我们就能赚更多钱。”

希望还在于扩展到其他油田的潜力，与其他正在开发新碳捕获技术的公司合作以降低成本或出售 CO ₂本身，完全退出业务的石油部分。

“我们的团队已经在寻找我们可以去的其他油田，”诺告诉哈特能源公司。“这个地区周围有很多油田可以做到这一点。_{...在我们这样做了 10 年之后，我们是否能够捕获 CO 2}并定期输送它是毫无疑问的。”

可以通过vaddison@hartenergy.com联系 Velda Addison 。

RICHMOND, Texas— Every 17 seconds NRG Energy captures a ton of CO₂ as part of the Petra Nova project at the company’s W.A. Parish Generating Station southwest of Houston, according to NRG Energy CEO Mauricio Gutierrez.

The project, in essence, uses various technologies to recycle one fossil fuel byproduct—CO₂—to produce another hydrocarbon—oil.

The CO₂ captured at what is now deemed by NRG and others as the world’s largest carbon-capture plant is transported via a 129-km (80-mile) pipeline to Hilcorp Energy. Hilcorp uses the CO₂ for EOR at its West Ranch oil field in Jackson County, Texas.

The $1 billion project, which the U.S. Department of Energy greenlighted in 2010 for up to $190 million in grants, began operations in late 2016. On April 13, local, state and federal officials joined to congratulate NRG and project partners JX Nippon Oil & Gas Exploration of Japan and Houston’s Hilcorp.

U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry described the project as a display of innovation that shows how environmental concerns and fossil fuel needs can be solved together.

“The solutions to many of the challenges that we have in the world today are displayed behind me,” the former Texas governor told a crowd with the towering carbon capture facility as backdrop. Working with alliances across the globe, universities and the private sector, “there is no challenge that we cannot face and conquer. … This is a stunning display of what American and Japanese innovation working together can do.”

Perry called the project a “tremendous example of how investment in clean technology can also lead to increased development of conventional sources of energy. It shows we don’t have to pit the environment on one side of the lane and the economy on the other.”

Petra Nova, a 50-50 joint venture by NRG and JX Nippon, involved retrofitting the existing coal plant. Technology co-created by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Kansai Electric Power Co. was essential for the project.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott commended those involved in the project and said the project helps address environmental concerns about natural gas and oil through technology.

“The greenhouse gases that scientists complain are a byproduct of energy production is now being corralled by innovation in Texas,” Abbott said. “The CO₂ is being captured and being put to use doing what Texas knows best how to do, and that is producing even more energy from oil. Working with some of the best and brightest from across the entire globe, we can deliver innovative solutions to any challenge that exists out there.”

How It Works

Flue gas from the power plant is run through a flue gas quencher and cooled before a solvent, called KS-1, captures the CO₂. The chemical has a socket that fits CO₂, enabling the two to bind. The CO₂ is then stripped from the solvent in a regenerator and compressed.

David Knox, communications director for NRG, explained during a media tour that about 40% of the flue gas from NRG’s Unit 8 is being moved into the carbon capture system. The amount is the equivalent of a 240-megawatt generating plant. Before the CO₂ moves to the pipeline, destined for the oil field, most of the sulfur has been removed. At 1900 psi it’s enough pressure to make the entire 80-mile pipeline trip to the oil field, he said.

During the EOR process, the CO₂ mixes with the oil, but “doesn’t change it chemically.” Altered physical properties make the oil more slippery, enabling the oil to move to the surface with more ease. The CO₂ naturally bubbles out, then is recaptured, repressurized and injected back into the field. “Every time CO₂ makes one of those orbits about 20% of the CO₂ stays in the field.”

Production at the oil field was falling before the project.

Now, “The West Ranch oil field is getting a new lease on life,” Hilcorp Energy CEO Jeff Hildebrand said during the ceremony. “The project will enable production at the field to increase from about 300 barrels per day to a level not seen in decades.”

So far, the project has delivered more than 300,000 tons of CO₂ to the oil field. Peak production is expected to reach about 15,000 bbl/d about a decade from now.

JX Nippon CEO Shunsaku Miyake added that CO₂ injection is proceeding smoothly.

“This project enables us not only to decrease greenhouse gas from the coal-fired power plant, but also at the same time dramatically boost oil production.”

The Economics

Petra Nova is the first commercial facility of its kind in the United States, Gutierrez said.

“And we did it on time and on budget—no cost overruns, no delays,” he said.

The project is expected to capture more than 1.6 million tons of CO₂ annually, which he said is the equivalent of taking 350,000 cars off the road.

Environmental benefits are apparent, but what about the economics? It partly depends on the oil price.

“We pay for this only through oil revenue,” Knox said, adding NRG has about a 50% stake in the oil field.

When ground was broken for the project about three years ago, oil was trading for about $100 a barrel. “This was going to make a fortune,” Knox said during the tour.

Then the energy industry found itself in one of its worst downturns with a supply glut that exceeded demand.

“After we broke ground oil dropped down to about $30 a barrel. I’ll be honest this was underwater. It was not going to make enough money to pay for itself.”

But rising oil prices have given the project a lifeline.

“At $50 oil it is making enough money to pay for itself—to pay for the operations, debt servicing,” he said. “So it is economically viable, but it is not making a lot of money for the return on investment. … If oil prices go up we’ll make more money on this.”

Hope also lies with the potential to expand to other oil fields, work with other companies that are developing new carbon capture technologies to bring costs down or sell the CO₂ itself, getting out of the oil part of the business altogether.

“Our teams are already looking at what other oil fields we could go to,” Know told Hart Energy. “There are a lot of oil fields all around this area that could do it. ... After we have done this for 10 years there is no question of whether we can capture CO₂ and deliver it on a routine basis.”

Velda Addison can be reached at vaddison@hartenergy.com.